


What makes a family

by soul_wanderer



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Angst, Baby, Comfort, F/F, Family, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-05
Updated: 2016-04-09
Packaged: 2018-05-31 08:51:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6463732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soul_wanderer/pseuds/soul_wanderer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Amanda is pregnant and sure she's going to be just fine on her own. Olivia knows better and is there when her world comes crashing down.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I basically had this idea stuck in my head and couldn't wait for someone else to write it but also didn't have the energy/time to turn this into a lengthy fic so if anyone is interested feel free to turn this into a longer story and let me know when you do!
> 
> This is also my first Amanda/Olivia fic and I haven't been watching SVU for very long but Ihope I got everything right - feedback is welcome!

When she first finds out about her pregnancy she maintains her composure, certain that she’s going to figure things out.  
She keeps it a secret from the everyone else as long as she can, even though she thinks Olivia suspects _something,_ after countless sudden trips to the bathroom during work, the morning sickness, despite its name, lasting throughout the entire day, making it hard to keep her secret.

When the team finds out they’re happy for her, despite the circumstances. She soothes their concerns as soon as they come up, telling them she’s going to be just fine on her own. She’s not the first one to go through this without a partner after all.

Olivia however, Olivia sees right through her façade. She’s been in the very same situation with Noah and knows how hard it can be to on your own, to be _alone,_ when your child just won’t stop crying.  
She also knows Amanda, they had grown close over time, and she knows that she shouldn’t be alone in this. She deserves better, of that she is sure.

It hits Amanda late one night that she can, in fact, _not_ do this on her own. Panic rises in her and no matter how hard she tries to shake this feeling off, it just won’t go away and that’s how she finds herself driving to Olivia’s apartment, desperate for someone to calm her fears.

When Olivia opens the door she’s surprised, at first, and then she’s not because she had already sensed that Amanda would need someone to talk to sooner or later.  
She quietly lets her in, watching as she walks down the hall, her seven month belly making it increasingly harder to move around with ease.

Thankfully Noah stays asleep in his room and after getting herself and Amanda a glass of water she settles down next to her on the couch, ready to listen.  
It doesn’t take long before tears start streaming down Amanda’s cheeks, heavy sobs wrecking her frame as she curls up in Olivia’s arms.  
Olivia simply holds her until her tears run dry and heart calms down, her own aching for the other woman, knowing how heavy hers must be.

She tells her she’s not alone, never was, and never will be, and through tears Amanda manages a small, grateful smile.  
The kiss Olivia presses against her temple is a silent promise, an expression of all the words she cannot say, all the words she doesn’t _have_ to say, because Amanda understands.  
They go to bed that night, together, Amanda’s heart a little less heavy and Olivia’s heart quietly growing with love for her and her unborn child.

When she gives birth to a beautiful, healthy little girl almost three months later, Olivia is right by her side, beaming down at her when she sees the way Amanda is looking at her daughter, _with so much love_ , and her heart grows once more when Amanda places the girl in her arms for the very first time and she holds her close to where her heart beats, _for them_ , thinking what a wonderful big brother Noah is going to be.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of hardships that come with being a new mother and unconditional love and support all the same

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to the very lovely review I received on this one-shot (you know who you are) I decided to expand this story by one chapter - okay, and I just really love writing angst and fluff and family stuff ;)

She’s still on maternity leave when Olivia works late again one night, leaving her alone with a two year old Noah and a four week old Jesse.  
She insists she’s going to be fine, _as usual_ , not wanting her to worry when she calls from the office to tell her she won’t be home for dinner and bedtime that night.

And it is _fine_ , until, well, until it is not.

It’s fine when Noah goes to bed after some minor arguing because his mummy isn’t there and she quietly closes his door after his bedtime story.  
It’s not fine when she walks back into the living room where Jesse is lying on her small blanket, starting to fuss when Amanda comes into sight.

She goes to pick her up, holding her against her chest while gently bouncing her, trying to avert the worst - to no avail.

Jesse’s small cries soon turn into full-blown sobs, then screams and Amanda doesn’t know what to do. She tries nursing her but Jesse keeps turning her head away and when she stops breathing from crying so hard Amanda gets worried. 

An attempt to bath her fails majorly, the girl screaming even more when she comes into touch with the water and Amanda prays to everyone who is willing to listen that Noah won’t wake up from the turmoil going on.

By the time they make it back into the living room Amanda is desperate, her nerves are raw, and she grabs her phone while balancing Jesse on her hip, calling Olivia because she is just so out of her depths right now.

The first thing Olivia hears is a clearly upset Jesse, followed by Amanda’s shaking voice that she really, _really_ needs her help.  
She doesn’t hesitate when she closes the file she’s been working on and promises her to be there as soon as possible, telling her to hang in there.

She quietly opens the door twenty minutes later, finding Amanda in the kitchen, pacing back and forth, her features tense and exhausted.  
Amanda begins apologizing the moment she sees Olivia, hot tears trailing down her cheeks, _she’s just so helpless and tired_ , but Olivia is quick in comforting her, telling her there’s nothing to be sorry for.

She knows how nerve-wracking a crying baby can be, and when she takes Jesse from Amanda’s arms in hers, the girl’s crying is already breathless and interrupted by small hiccups. 

Olivia takes her into their bedroom and Amanda quietly follows her, sitting down on the edge of the bed as she watches Olivia quietly talking to their daughter.

Fetching the blanket that is draped over the edge of the bassinet Olivia walks back over to Amanda and tells her to take off her shirt and sit down against the headboard.  
At first Amanda is confused but does as she is told, waiting for Olivia to join her on the bed.

When Olivia settles down next to her she carefully lays Jesse on her bare chest and wraps her tightly into the blanket before going over to draping their own blanket over the three of them.  
She shoots Amanda a small smile then and instructs her to massage Jesse’s back before starting to hum a lullaby, her own fingers comfortingly running over the girl’s head.

Soon enough Jesse finally begins to drift off, the cries dying down and her small body peacefully resting against her mother’s and Amanda releases a long breath, quiet tears trailing down her cheeks once again because she’s just so grateful for the silence settling over them.

Olivia then carefully takes her hand from Jesse’s head and uses her thumb to wipe away Amanda’s tears, smiling at her and telling her it’s okay now.  
She knows about the guilt Amanda still feels some days, knows how she feels like she’s never _enough_ , like she’s not able to take care of her own daughter, let alone Noah as well.

She reassures her then, tells her how much Noah and Jesse love her, how much _she_ loves her and that they’re always going to be there for each other and Amanda draws strength from that.

When Olivia gently takes Jesse from her chest to put her into her bassinet she lets out a sigh of relief and after Olivia gets changed and climbs back into bed and under the covers Amanda gladly curls up next to her and closes her eyes, grateful to have both her and their children in her life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is welcome :)


End file.
